Cost of Living Comparison Between Longyearbyen and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Longyearbyen and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,878 in Longyearbyen versus $3,179 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,279 in Longyearbyen versus $4,668 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,679 in Longyearbyen versus $6,158 in Stavanger.

Living in Longyearbyen costs roughly 9% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Longyearbyen 109% above, Stavanger 131% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.42 NOK 190

$26.10 NOK 242

-21.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 NOK 1,007

$100 NOK 929

8.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.36 NOK 170

$15.98 NOK 148

14.89%

Cappuccino

$7.09 NOK 65.9

$6.53 NOK 60.7

8.58%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 NOK 56.0

$5.57 NOK 51.7

8.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 NOK 53.8

$4.55 NOK 42.21

27.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 NOK 72.7

$13.62 NOK 126

-42.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.37 NOK 87.0

$12.09 NOK 112

-22.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.48 NOK 23.03

$2.49 NOK 23.11

-0.40%

White Bread (500g)

$5.03 NOK 46.70

$3.60 NOK 33.46

39.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 NOK 39.79

$3.96 NOK 36.73

8.33%

Eggs

$5.09 NOK 47.23

$4.97 NOK 46.18

2.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.31 NOK 133

$14.64 NOK 136

-2.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.15 NOK 187

$17.53 NOK 163

14.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.53 NOK 283

$35.75 NOK 332

-14.60%

Apples (1kg)

$6.90 NOK 64.0

$3.70 NOK 34.37

86.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 NOK 25.65

$2.86 NOK 26.53

-3.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.31 NOK 67.9

$3.58 NOK 33.20

104.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.02 NOK 65.1

$4.90 NOK 45.45

43.27%

Potato (1kg)

$5.55 NOK 51.6

$2.60 NOK 24.18

113.46%

Onion (1kg)

$4.73 NOK 43.96

$3.17 NOK 29.42

49.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.64 NOK 43.08

$2.90 NOK 26.95

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.63 NOK 33.75

$2.31 NOK 21.46

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.72 NOK 165

$17.65 NOK 164

0.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 NOK 141

$19.17 NOK 178

-20.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.64 NOK 33.83

$3.85 NOK 35.74

-5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 NOK 41.47

$4.61 NOK 42.76

-3.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.08 NOK 47.15

$4.89 NOK 45.43

3.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.3 NOK 867

$87.1 NOK 809

7.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.56 NOK 88.7

$6.48 NOK 60.1

47.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NOK 17.27

$1.78 NOK 16.56

4.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.0 NOK 603

$105 NOK 976

-38.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 NOK 20.31

$2.32 NOK 21.58

-5.60%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$45.9K NOK 426.0K

$48.7K NOK 452.4K

-5.84%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$50.4K NOK 467.6K

$41.8K NOK 388.4K

20.40%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$266 NOK 2,473

$257 NOK 2,389

3.52%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$33.06 NOK 307

$35.59 NOK 330

-7.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 NOK 533

$84.9 NOK 788

-32.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 NOK 468

$52.6 NOK 489

-4.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.86 NOK 342

$36.90 NOK 343

-0.11%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 NOK 166

$22.33 NOK 207

-19.88%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$267 NOK 2,477

$325 NOK 3,018

-17.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K NOK 96.2K

$14.4K NOK 133.5K

-27.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 NOK 938

$126 NOK 1,169

-19.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 NOK 524

$60.7 NOK 564

-7.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 NOK 1,170

$155 NOK 1,440

-18.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 NOK 1,478

$203 NOK 1,886

-21.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 NOK 10.6K

$1,746 NOK 16.2K

-34.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 NOK 9,511

$1,387 NOK 12.9K

-26.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 NOK 18.9K

$2,840 NOK 26.4K

-28.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 NOK 16.0K

$2,044 NOK 19.0K

-15.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,518 NOK 60.5K

$6,241 NOK 57.9K

4.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,228 NOK 39.3K

$5,530 NOK 51.3K

-23.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,955 NOK 27.4K

$5,111 NOK 47.5K

-42.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

5.27

-5.88%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Longyearbyen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,146 in Longyearbyen and $1,746 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 73% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $108 in Longyearbyen vs $100 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $609 vs $530 per month, with Stavanger cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Longyearbyen vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Longyearbyen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 73% lower in Stavanger. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,146 in Longyearbyen versus $1,746 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Longyearbyen runs roughly 7% less than in Stavanger. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $267 in Longyearbyen versus $325 in Stavanger. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,878 in Longyearbyen versus $3,179 in Stavanger, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Longyearbyen but tight or insufficient in Stavanger. The gap between the two cities makes Longyearbyen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Longyearbyen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Stavanger, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Longyearbyen and Stavanger are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Longyearbyen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.